Kazakhstan will require major businesses to introduce five-year water-saving plans as authorities warn that worsening shortages could threaten not only the environment but also the country's economy.
The move forms part of a broader effort to reduce water losses and improve efficiency as pressure on water resources intensifies.
For years, water conservation in Kazakhstan has been closely linked to agriculture, which accounts for 60% of the country's total water consumption. Yet the sector has also become one of the clearest examples of how efficiency measures can be scaled up. Water-saving technologies, once used on just 30,000 hectares, are now expanding by around 150,000 hectares annually. By 2030, authorities expect that figure to reach 1.3 million hectares.
The government is now seeking to extend a similar approach to industry. According to Zhanibek Nabiev, head of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation's Department of Industrial Water-Saving Technologies, businesses are entering the final stage of a transition period that will make long-term planning compulsory.
“This year marks the completion of the transition period in industry, and by 2027 all enterprises must develop five-year plans to reduce water consumption, account for losses and introduce water reuse technologies,” he said.
Kazakhstan has roughly 5,600 medium-sized and large businesses, although industrial water use is concentrated among a relatively small group of companies. According to the ministry, 95% of industrial water consumption comes from just 93 firms, making them the most likely initial targets of the new rules.
The changes are expected to extend beyond factories and industrial sites. New construction projects for schools, nurseries and other public facilities are set to include smart systems such as sensor-operated taps, dual-flush cisterns and other technologies designed to reduce unnecessary water use.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation says new construction standards are being drafted under which buildings without water-saving technologies may not be approved for operation. Officials describe the measures as practical steps rather than long-term ambitions, aimed at embedding efficiency into everyday infrastructure.
Alongside regulation, Kazakhstan is also seeking to involve businesses through incentives and data-driven monitoring. The Smart Water Zone environmental project will include manufacturers, hotels, restaurants, shopping centres, offices and educational institutions. Participants will receive an independent rapid assessment of their water-consumption systems, recommendations for improving efficiency and access to sector-specific best practices.
The urgency behind the measures is becoming harder to ignore. Forecasts suggest Kazakhstan could face a water deficit equivalent to 50% of national demand by 2040. By 2050, specialists warn, water shortages could reduce GDP by as much as 6%, pushing the issue far beyond environmental policy and into the centre of economic planning.
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